The city of Cupertino is once again talking about bringing solar power to some government properties.

The city council held a nearly 90-minute study session Feb. 19 on the feasibility of solar installation at the Torre Avenue civic center and the city’s corporation yard on Mary Avenue. Things are still very much in the early planning stages, as the city is looking at the best funding strategy and locations to house photovoltaic panels.

Last March the council directed city staff to study the economic viability of installing solar energy systems at city facilities. Staff is working with Optony, a firm that works to find energy strategies for government agencies.

The firm analyzed city hall, community hall and the library for energy use. Optony found that the library has the highest electricity use and would benefit most from solar carports erected in the parking lot.

The city would need to change the current financial relationship between the city and the Santa Clara County Library District, as the city leases the space to the library. The council expressed support for working with the library district on making solar possible.

Optony recommended exploring roof-mounted, walkway and carport structures to offset 86 percent of total energy use for city hall and Cupertino Community Hall. However, the city is considering a major overhaul and redesign of the civic center area, and Optony suggests deferring solar infrastructure decisions until those plans are clearer.

Councilman Mark Santoro wondered if a two-story parking structure near the library with photovoltaics on the roof might be something to consider during the future civic center overhaul to create space and save parking spaces. Fellow council members were supportive of the idea.

“I would love to have a meter…outside [the civic center] that shows how much money we’re saving or how many kilowatt hours we are saving, so we can put this to use as an educational tool,” he said.

For the corporation yard, Optony suggested the installation of two oversized carport structures in the service center parking lot to offset 75 percent of total energy use between the site’s two electric meters.

Other city facilities were eliminated from consideration due to their low energy demands. While most city properties do not have a high energy demand, the city has seen a 35 percent increase in electrical costs the past five years, according to city staff.

If the council moves forward with solar, there are a number of financing options, including purchasing the system outright, loaning or leasing photovoltaic systems from a third party on a monthly basis over 10-20 years, or entering into a long-term agreement in which the city purchases power generated by a solar installation that is owned by a third party but hosted on the city facility.

In a purchase agreement, Cupertino could potentially benefit from capped or slowed growth in electricity rates, as the normal utility bill would be paid to the financier through terms established in the agreement, according to a city staff report.

The city could also enter into a memorandum of understanding with Alameda County for a regional renewable energy procurement.